Candidate forums for 1st Congressional District announced

State Rep. Shannon Erickson, R-Beaufort, has announced a series of town hall forums for candidates vying for the open 1st Congressional District at theTechnicalCollege of the Lowcountry in Beaufort.

All forums are scheduled for the TCL auditorium at921 Ribaut Road, building 12, and will allow for questions from the audience, according to a news release. Attendance is open to all parties, and in the event of a runoff another forum will be added March 25.

With a total of 19 declared candidacies for the coastal seat vacated by U.S. Sen. Tim Scott after his appointment last year, political observers call that a likely scenario.